Community with a Heart raised thousands of dollars and much hope

Tuesday

Jan 22, 2013 at 12:57 PM

The Community with a Heart campaign ended Jan. 10 with tens of thousands of dollars in goods and services awarded.

By Marian RizzoCorrespondent

The Community With A Heart campaign ended Jan. 10 with tens of thousands of dollars in goods and services awarded. The season began with $229.42 and brought in a total of $62,894.08, including an anonymous donation of $26,000.Because of public donations, families were able to stay in their homes or move into rental properties. Some had their utilities brought up to date. Others received help with auto and plumbing repairs. Children in several families got beds. One client received badly needed appliances. And more than 100 homebound seniors received Christmas presents.Beyond the regular donations, people continued to give in response to articles that ran in the Star-Banner. Because of an additional donation of $600, Norman Schafer was able to take his mother-in-law, Rosa Nunley, who is in hospice care, to a family reunion in Tennessee. Schafer and Nunley already had received a new water heater through Community With A Heart.In addition to receiving an electrolarynx machine, Robert Ackley, who lost his voice box due to cancer, and his wife, Jacqueline, also received $491 for delinquent property taxes."The campaign was very successful," Community With A Heart treasurer Brad Nimmo said. "The community again stepped up to the plate when asked."Scott Hackmyer, a community volunteer, also expressed his gratitude for the public response. One of his clients, Lillian Bowers, continued to receive help after her story was published. Hackmyer said a man he knew donated furniture and used his own truck to deliver it."Lillian told me a former school teacher of hers donated a queen-size bed," Hackmyer added. "Then, her employer bought a futon for the children to sleep on. Somebody else called and said they had lamps, tables and a dining room table for her. On top of that, some of the agencies that sit on the board of Community With A Heart were able to share items to get started, like pots and pans and dishes, plus a Walmart gift card for $100."The Community With A Heart agencies shared resources numerous times throughout the program. If one agency had a particular item, it was given to the agency that needed it."All the agencies have different resources," Hackmyer said. "There's such a collaborative effort of the agencies working together to help a family move forward on their journey to become self-sufficient. And, I'm so grateful for the public who, year-after-year, send the donations in to make this all possible."The 2012 program ended with $18,786.76, which was divided between the Salvation Army, Marion Senior Services, Brothers Keeper, Interfaith Emergency Services, Childhood Development Services and the Marion County Children's Alliance. The money will be used for specific needs, such as rent, travel expenses, diapers, senior personal garments, utilities, children's backpacks and home delivered meals. A balance of $1,500 will remain in the bank for the 2013 program.Started 26 years ago by the Star-Banner, this was the first year the program operated without the newspaper's direct involvement. Nearly two dozen agencies will keep the program going.The campaign ended with an election of officers: Monica Bryant (Marion County Children's Alliance), president; Steve Hoesterey (Brothers Keeper), vice-president; Lena Smith (Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida), secretary; and Brad Nimmo (Habitat for Humanity of Marion County) treasurer."We all played the role we should have played, and the community supported it," Bryant said. "If we want to see Community With A Heart continue, we need to be the driving force. I'm excited that the program is going to continue, because some people in our community really need just a hand up."A Community With A Heart organizational meeting will take place the first Thursday in November and will be open to the public. Details will be announced at a later date. For information in the meantime, call 438-5993.

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